Tag Archives: Illinois

I recently visited FamilySearch, the world’s largest genealogy organization provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Over the last while, they have been working on digitizing and indexing the microfilmed records held at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. Of course, it will take quite a while to complete this project — they have MILLIONS of records — but there are some useful records already available.

I was delighted to find that digitized images of records from the Catholic Diocese of Belleville, Illinois, are available online. They aren’t searchable yet, but they are easy to browse through. I found baptism, marriage and burial records for some of my great-great-great grandparents and their family.

Some of those records had some interesting clues to expanding my family search. For example, I already knew that my great-great-great grandparents, Christian Stern and Anna Maria Jan (or John), were married in Belleville, Illinois, on 15 Jul 1847, and I found the original record on FamilySearch in the records of the Cathedral of St. Peter. One of the witnesses is Charles Jan — likely a relative. Charles is also listed at their first daughter’s godfather.

So, I decided to search the 1850 census for Charles Jan in the Belleville area. I found a Charles John, born about 1800 in Germany, living in Centreville (now Millstadt), Illinois — the same town that my great-great-great grandparents lived in. Given Charles’ age, he could possibly be my great-great-great-great grandfather, though I don’ t have any other evidence of that yet.

Next steps: find more information about Charles John and see if there are connections to Anna Maria John.

From The Ogden Standard-Examiner, Wednesday evening, November 28, 1945:

Barbara Stern obituary

Barbara Stern

Miss Barbara Stern, 85, died at nine forty-five Tuesday evening at the home of her niece, Mrs. J. Alva West, 2098 Harrison, following a heart attack.

She was born March 16, 1860, at Millstadt, Ill., to Christian and Marie Annie Jones Stern. Miss Stern was for many years a nurse and continued in this career until her health failed at about 80 years of age.

She was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic church, the Altar society and League of the Sacred Heart. She had been a resident of Ogden since 1890.

Funeral services will be conducted Satruday at ten a. m. at St. Joseph’s church, by the Rt. Rev. Msgr. W. J. Giroux. Arrangements are in charge of the mortuary at 466 Twenty-fourth. Interment will be in Ogden city cemetery.

Mrs. Pauline Clausse Dies

Mrs. Pauline Mary Stern Clausse, wife of Joseph E. Clausse, died Wednesday evening at the residence, 3232 Washington avenue, of general debility. she was born in Millstadt, Ill., November 3, 1857, the daughter of Christian and Mary Jones Stern. She came to Ogden in 1855 and had resided here continuously since that date. Mrs. Clausse was a devout member of St. Joseph’s Catholic church. She is survived by her husband and the following sons and daughters: Mrs. William Doyle, Joseph J. Clausee [sic], Mrs. Alva West, Leon L. Clausse, 15 grandchildren, all of Ogden, and the following sister: Miss Barbara Stern, Ogden; Mary Stern, Mrs. Annie Backer, Mrs. Regina Daken [sic}, all of St. Louis, Mo.

Funeral arrangements are in charge of Larkin & Sons, undertakes, and the time and place will be later announced.

Funerals

Funeral services for Mrs. Pauline Mary Clausse will be held Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock at St. Joseph’s Catholic church. Monsignor P. M. Cushnahan will preside. The body may be viewed Saturday afternoon and evening and Sunday until 1 o’clock at the home 3232 Washington avenue. Interment will be in the City cemetery.